BETTER EARLY THAN LATE
As a Customer Success Manager at Swissteach, I ensure that client projects are thoroughly considered, professionally planned, and consistently executed. A key part of this is the fact that, at Swissteach, we address key topics early in our client projects, even if they seem a long way off from an operational perspective for our clients. Our experience has taught us that in our field, it’s far wiser to begin organising and planning certain to-dos a little too early than even a single day too late. And that’s exactly how we operate at Swissteach: if there’s something we can do today, we’ll do it. But can you take this “better early than late” thing too far? Absolutely! Especially in retail, you might even say: some are so early, they’ve ended up missing the boat altogether.
BUT LET’S START FROM THE BEGINNING:
“It was sooo lovely!” I think to myself quietly as the airport shuttle takes me from the gate to my plane. The Mallorcan sun is blazing down, just as it has for the past two weeks. Only seven hours later, I step out of a taxi in my hometown— 14 degrees and drizzly—and drag my 24-kilo suitcase across the cobblestones towards the front door of the four-storey period building where I live in a small, cosy flat. Slipping twice on fallen leaves, I struggle my way up the three steps to the keyhole. “Home: top. Weather: flop,” I think to myself as I drop all my clothes in the hallway. Spoiled by ten days of buffet indulgence, I open the fridge—fridge: also a flop. At least the supermarket should still be open at this hour. And so, I head straight back out again!
OF LEAVES AND COLOURS
What greets me behind the entrance doors of the corner shop finally wipes away any lingering summer holiday spirit: a Stollen and a chocolate Santa beaming up at me. Next to it, laid out as if on display, is a freshly unpacked pallet of Christkindl mulled wine. Seriously? It’s the 30th of August. – Hello… Auguuust! Only twelve hours ago I was listening to Spanish guitars on the Playa del Sol, with temperatures of 31 degrees and a gentle southern breeze. And now? Shaking my head, I grab a bunch of apples, two frozen pizzas, a tub of sour cream and four bags of crisps, then head for the checkout. And what do I see? It seems like I’m the only one not tempted by this pre-Christmas madness. “Have you all completely lost it?” I wonder, as I stare at a conveyor belt loaded with gingerbread and mulled wine.
I can’t help overhearing the two ladies chatting ahead of me: “Isn’t it wonderful when nature slowly begins to retreat and the leaves turn such lovely colours…” QUIET. I really don’t want to hear this.
After a walk home through stunning autumn colours, I now find myself sitting at home in the evening, utterly frustrated. While clearing away the remnants of my four bags of crisps, I stumble upon a still-sealed bottle of winter punch from last year. “Winter is out to get me,” I think, while steam rises from the pan and the air fills with the smell of cinnamon.
“I’m clearly not quite right in the head. Auguuust!”
Six days later – it’s my first day back at work after the holiday. I’m battling through 154 unread emails. The good news: all projects and to-dos had been well organised over the past two weeks – no one had any complaints or missed anything. That makes me genuinely happy, and I lean back with a triumphant smile.
As I’m sipping my third coffee, I spot a pair of eyes sliding past the soundproof wall at my desk. It’s Isabelle, our Head of Marketing, grinning at me with raised eyebrows.
“Lovely to have you back! Fancy a biscuit? I baked them yesterday – cinnamon and walnut! Isn’t it just cosy when it’s stormy outside and there are biscuits indoors? I can’t wait. Three months from today…”
“Luff ith fine!” I interrupt, still chewing cinnamon-walnut biscuit.
“Oh come on, grumpy-pants! Don’t tell me you’ve got the autumn blues? It’s going to be absolutely magical – walks in the woods, the wood-burning stove in the living room, and Christmas decorations everywhere.”
The twinkle in Isabelle’s eyes is now blinding. And every year around this time, she quite literally drives me nuts.
“Yes, rearry fagical,” I mumble with a mouthful and exit the cinnamon-walnut scene.
I briefly consider whether I should go out the next morning and scrape the pavement with a snow shovel — just for fun, at 5:30 a.m., to see what happens. While washing down a cinnamon-walnut biscuit with a splash of coffee cream in our office kitchenette, my smartphone buzzes twice: Isabelle has just sent out a calendar invite. Title: “Video shoot for the 2025 Advent calendar.”
It’s a lovely idea that’s become something of a Christmas tradition at Swissteach: a digital Advent calendar with nearly every member of the team contributing — whether via video, image or even a poem.
Launch date: 1st December.
Shoot starts: 12th September, accompanied by a cheery little note in Isabelle’s event description: “Please try to be in a festive mood!”
Of course — it is September, after all. But as always: better early than never!
IN THE END, THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS ALWAYS WINS
Another ten weeks have passed. Ten weeks in which we at Swissteach have tackled countless new topics and challenges for our clients or developed solutions together. Ten weeks in which the year ahead has also been planned and scheduled. Ten weeks full of golden leaves, cinnamon-walnut blends, autumn storms, runny noses and nature quietly retreating.
I still find myself dreaming of the Playa del Sol and wishing some friendly beach seller would stroll past, offering to sell me a towel and some welcome shade over my sunburnt head.
As I said, I do like to be a bit early rather than late – so my next sunny getaway is already booked. But now even I’ve been swept up by the Christmas spirit and I’m really looking forward to the final weeks of the year.
To honour the Swissteach Christmas vibe, my video call background now proudly displays the Swissteach logo alongside a reindeer beside it. I’ve been to nearly every Christmas market in the region and love watching little children happily munching on roasted almonds, adults digging out their ’90s-style ear warmers, and hearing the snow crunch beneath my shoes. At that point, who needs a beach?
Isabelle and I have festively decorated the Swissteach office to intimidate even the most stubborn Christmas grinches.
Yes, dear friends and Christmas enthusiasts, it’s that time again: Swissteach is cranking up the Christmas mood and switching the frequency to full Santa-hat mode.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
And you? Tired of all the Christmas madness already? Or are you actually looking forward to the festive season?
However you plan to spend the coming days, we wish you a peaceful and joyful time.
And perhaps some of you are already beginning to consider what future learning in your company should look like, what it needs to achieve, and how to make it a reality.
No? Not this year? Oh come on – there’s really never a wrong time to get started.
And as you know, sometimes it’s better to be a little early than a little late! (…unless you run a supermarket and are trying to work out the perfect time to start selling gingerbread.)
Whatever you’re planning in the area of Learning & Development, you can count on our experts, our experience and our full commitment.